Unchosen Heroes
by Megafighter3
Summary: It is an era without a Hero, as Link returned to his time after defeating Ganondorf. However, when darkness falls over the land, a merchant girl and a thief head out to try and stop the new threat that has come in place of Ganondorf.
1. The Era Without A Hero

It was a warm spring day as a horse-drawn cart traveled through Hyrule Field, its rider turning her head to ensure the cargo it held. Her long brown hair flew freely in the wind as dark green eyes scanned the contents of the cart. The woman nodded, seeing that none of the chests had fallen out during the long trip to Hyrule's Castle Town Market. She returned her eyes to the road, gently tapping her horse in the sides with her heels. The faithful steed picked up its pace and the course was nearly complete.

As she traveled, more sets of hoof-beats began to make themselves audible. The traveler looked around her, seeing a small group circle their horses around her. She quickly pulled out her bow, firing an arrow and striking one of the the riders off their horse. The horse fled and the group, seeing that their target was armed, followed suit. The rider that had been abandoned by his group chased after them, only to be grabbed by the woman.

"Let go! Don't you know that I am the Thief King Kasuto?!" the young man shouted, struggling as the woman held him by his short black hair, blue eyes attempting to stare daggers into her.

"...Why would a band of thieves leave their leader behind?" the woman asked, subduing Kasuto.

"They'll come back for me! They merely needed to arm themselves to face you, wench!"

The woman sighed and forced Kasuto into the cart. "Stay in there. We're going to Hyrule Castle Town. Perhaps one of the guards would be able to deal with you properly. Make any wrong move, and I will turn around and and find a Skulltula family to feed you to. Am I understood?"

Kasuto nodded, awkwardly sitting himself in the cart since he was not bound, looking over the chests. "Quite a collection of treasure you have... must be worth a great deal of rupees," he started, reaching into his pocket for a lockpick.

The woman turned a stern eye towards the supposed "Thief King" which lead Kasuto to sit at attention. "Yes. My fabrics do fetch a good price on the market."

"...Fabrics," Kasuto uttered, a note of disappointment in his voice.

"Yes. My family trades fabrics. I was taught the tools of the trade since birth and when I turned 14, I began traveling on my own."

"Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, then."

"Not in my case. I'm sure your parents had more... legal careers in mind for you."

"Wouldn't know. I was taken as a baby and pretty much traded from group to group. Usually whenever they had enough of having me around and figured I'd be more useful as a bartering tool than a thief."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully you'll be treated better when..." the woman said, her voice trailing off as the cart came to a stop.

"When what? What are you... looking at..."

The two watched as barrier of darkness had completed forming around the castle and the surrounding town. From the barrier out came a figure dressed in a red cloak. Matching eyes caught sight of the pair outside of the barrier, pulling a small purple disc from out of his cloak. The disc glowed in his hand and shot out a small burst of dark energy at them. The shot missed, but the woman gave her horse a sharp but gentle kick, bringing the cart to a fast run, dodging blasts along the way. The cloaked man stopped his firing at them once they were out of range. He growled, putting away the disc and vanishing into the barrier.

After a few minutes, the horse came to a stop. "What... what happened?" Kasuto asked.

"I don't know, but once my horse is rested, we'll keep going. I think you'd better stay with me until Hyrule Castle is free from that barrier." the woman responded.

"Thank you... so, what's your name anyway?"

The woman, realizing she had not said her name once to Kasuto, turned to him and answered. "Jenna."


	2. A Dark and Stormy Night

The pair traveled through Hyrule Field, watching for any further attacks or sudden changes in the world around them. As they walked, choosing not to ride their on the cart and Jenna's horse, night fell and rain poured over their heads. But they continued onward until they saw a faint light. The drenched travelers ran closer to the light, seeing the source of the light was a lantern. The owner of the lantern waved them over. "Hello there! Welcome to the Lon-Lon Ranch! Hurry on in before you catch your death!" she called.

Jenna and Kasuto ran into the house, the redheaded woman lead Jenna's horse to a nearby stable before joining them in the house. "Please, make yourselves at home. I'll get a fire going," she said, discarding her boots by the doorway and walking over to the fireplace. As she worked on getting the fire going, Kasuto looked around the house for something to steal. Jenna grabbed his shoulder, turning him around and giving him a cold glare, which ended the browsing of the self-proclaimed "Thief King"

"Thank you for allowing us into your home, miss..." Jenna started.

"Malon. And you two?"

"I'm Jenna and this-"

"I am the Thief King Kasuto!" he declared with an air of unwarranted bravado. Malon looked at Kasuto, letting out a small chuckle before tending to the fire.

"Well, sorry to tell you this, but we don't have many valuables," Malon said, stepping away from the fire once it was fully going. "Perfect."

After a few minutes, the three had settled in for the night, gathering around the table with warm food and cold milk. "So Malon, do you run this whole ranch by yourself?" Jenna asked to break the ice.

"Oh, no. My father and Ingo also work here, but they're out getting supplies in the Castle Town Market. They should be by back by morning."

"...About that..." Kasuto started, turning to Jenna who nodded.

"We were heading for Hyrule Castle Town ourselves when we saw the castle and surrounding town become covered in darkness. We don't know if anyone can get in or out, though, since we were attacked by someone in a cloak and had to run."

"What?!" Malon cried, bolting up from the table to get her boots. "I have to go! I have to make sure they're okay!"

Kasuto and Jenna quickly got up to keep her from leaving. "You can't! It's too dangerous to go out there!" Kasuto yelled as he tried to pull her away from the door.

"But-"

Malon's objection was cut short when the door swung open, an old man with a red robe walking weakly into the house. He was bruised and breathing heavy. "Help... me..." he gasped out and the three quickly shut the door and brought the old man close to the fire place. Malon got a wet cloth, dabbing at the old man's wounds to clean them from dirt and or blood. After ten minutes and a warm meal, the old man had some energy back.

"What happened to you?" Malon asked the question that was in the fore front of their minds.

"I was attacked by Poes as I was riding through Hyrule Field... they were being sent to stop me..."

"Stop you? Why?"

"I was sent to deliver a message throughout all of Hyrule... that Ariakas has returned."

"Ariakas? Who is that?"

"Ariakas was a Sheikah. He had betrayed the tribe and sided with Ganondorf in the Hyrulean Civil War. As punishment for his betrayal, he was exiled to the Haunted Wasteland, deep within the Gerudo Valley. Many believed he would have died. Had it not been the heat, it would've been the quicksand. If not the quicksand, then it would have been the spirits that travel the wastelands. If this spirits did not stop him, the Gerudo were given orders to execute him on sight... but he had survived. He managed to take the Sage of Shadow by surprise, defeating her and taking the Shadow Medallion. And now he intends to purge the world in darkness..."

"Then the Hero of Time will return, right?"

"...There is some doubt that he will..."

"Link wouldn't let us down, would he?" Malon asked with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Kasuto immediately stood up. "We can't just stand by and let this guy take over the world! We can't wait for a hero to come and save us! We need to act! Who's with me?"

The group looked at the fired up young man with shock. But, Jenna eventually stood up, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Kasuto's right. We need to be able to fight for ourselves."

The old man stroked his long beard, thinking a bit before smiling. "You are a brave one... you remind me of myself when I had my youth... if you wish to fight, then you will need a weapon..."

The old man reached into his robe, pulling out a longsword, sheathed in leather. "This is the Silver Sword. It has served me well in my time as a soldier and messenger. May it serve you well in your quest."

Kasuto unsheathed the sword, looking at the silver blade that shined in the fire's light with awe. In any other circumstance, Kasuto would see such a majestic sword would be nothing more than an item to sell at the market. Certainly worth big Rupees, but still just a sword to sell. But now, it felt like more than that. It felt powerful in his hands. As if it were a part of his own body.

"We will need time to train ourselves for this undertaking," Jenna said. "When morning comes, we'll set the ranch up to train."

Malon nodded, assuming the rain would at least have lighten by then. "We have plenty of old scarecrows to use for target practice."

Kasuto sheathed the sword, heading upstairs to bed. Jenna and Malon followed, Malon directing them to the guest bedrooms. The old man simply fell asleep in his chair.


	3. Training and the Forest Medallion

The morning sun was shining brightly over Lon Lon ranch as Malon stuck scarecrow after scarecrow into the wet grass. Jenna and the Messenger watched her; Jenna focused on constructing something from some of her cloths. While Kasuto stepped out of the house, Silver Sword in hand. Malon instructed him on how to use the sword, remembering seeing Link do the same motions.

"Alright, Kasuto. We'll start with a horizontal swing," Malon said, miming the motion which Kasuto copied on the first scarecrow. "Good. Now, vertical swing."

Kasuto followed with the vertical swing. After a successful swing, he did the stab. Then came the jump attack, which took two or three attempts to complete. Malon then set up a circle of scarecrows, having Kasuto walk into the center. She closed the circle with one more scarecrow. "Now, the final task. You need to perform a spin attack."

Malon mimed the spin attack. Kasuto attempted it, only to go dizzy, dropping the sword. Malon picked up the sword, handing it to him. "You'll figure it out."

Through trial and error, Kasuto managed to decapitate the entire circle of scarecrows; although he still got a bit dizzy from preforming it. Malon kicked one of the scarecrow heads into the air, catching it in her hands. "Well done, Kasuto. Jenna! How is the armor coming along?"

"All set!" Jenna responded, walking over with two sets of clothes, handing on to Kasuto. "It's nothing more than some cloths and scrap metal Malon and I found around the ranch, but it will do for now."

"More armor than I've ever worn," Kasuto joked, putting on the armor. "So, where were you headed before the Poes attacked?" he asked the messenger.

"I had just left Kakariko, having warning the Gorons and was headed for the Kokiri Forest. The Gorons are using the power of the Fire Medallion to protect their city for now, but if you two can gather the remaining Medallions, you may be able to use their powers to break the barrier around Hyrule Castle..."

Malon walked by with two horses. One was Jenna's, who was well-rested from the long travel. The other was Malon's. "Kasuto, this is Epona. Link rode her during his journey to defeat Ganondorf. Given that Jenna already has her own horse, I figured she would be able to help you."

"Thanks, Malon."

Kasuto walked over to Epona, offering a hand. Epona backed away. "She's a bit nervous around new people," Malon explained, pulling out an ocarina and playing a song, showing Kasuto how to play it. After a few attempts, he got the song down and Epona walked over to Kasuto.

"Good. Any time you need, just play that song and Epona will come to you," she explained, remembering it was a song her mother sang to her when she was a child.

Kasuto climbed onto Epona, Jenna already on her own horse, carrying a light cart of essentials as the two rode off into the east. After a long travel, they made their way to the Kokiri Forest. Which held a magical feel to it. During the trip, Jenna played a song on her ocarina. One Kasuto hadn't recognized, but someone else did.

"Hey! You there!" Came a voice from the trees. An orange-haired Kokiri walked over to the two. He looked like a ten year old boy. "Where did you learn that song?"

"Oh, the Song of the Forest? My mother played it for me when I was little," Jenna explained. "Every time they would drive their carts by these woods they would hear this song. Soon mother would learn it and play it for me every time they came home."

"Oh, I see. I'm Mido, leader of the Kokiri. Tell me, what brings humans to our forest?"

"Greetings, Mido. I am Jenna and this Kasuto. We were sent here on a mission. Darkness has fallen over Hyrule; the castle and town surrounding it have been engulfed in it. We need to acquire a medallion from here in order to break the barrier. Would you happen to know of its location?"

"Hm... a medallion..." Mido thought, scratching his chin. "...I'll need to consult the Deku Tree Scrub. Please, wait here..."

The two stood and waited while the Kokiri ran off, returning some time later. "You seek the Forest Medallion. You will need to go through the Lost Woods and head for the Forest Temple. However, you'll need to find a way to cross the gap, since the stairway to the Forest Temple was destroyed. Be careful, Saria went in to get the medallion and hasn't come returned. She may have been captured by the monsters within the temple."

"I think I have something that can help," Kasuto said, searching through his bag. He pulled out a small device with a hook on the front. "I managed to swipe it from the Kakariko Village market during a raid. It launches the hook into things and can pull you across when you retract the chain."

Jenna took the device. "Keep watch of the Forest while I get the Medallion," she said, heading out into the Lost Woods. She traveled through the woods, at first confused, but heard a familiar song. The Song of the Forest. She followed the song, leading herself out of the forest, going through the Sacred Forest Meadow on her way to the Temple. She got to the entrance just fine and dismounted from her horse. And using the hookshot, she was able to get inside. However, she was greeted at the courtyard by a pair of Wolfos. She moved back at their growls. Jenna quickly pulled out her bow and firing two arrows, one aimed to take out each Wolfo's head. The two beasts fell to the ground dead.

With both Wolfos dispatched, she turned and saw an ivy wall, climbing it up to the tops of two trees in the courtyard. Jenna edged along the tree branch, reaching the edge and then jumping to an adjacent branch. She edged along this branch, reaching the end where she found a chest containing a small key. After pocketing the key, she dropped down to the bottom floor, going through the door and entering the temple.

She made her way through a hall, entering a room with four multicolored torches and an elevator. Four Poes, all different in color and appearances, phased into the room, stealing the flames from the torches. The elevator lowered as a result of this.

"Hm... I'll need those flames..." Jenna uttered to herself, looking around the room before choosing her next movement.

She ran straight across the room, jumping onto the ledge at the northern end of the room and climbing up. She ran up the stairs and through the door going forward until she entered a room with two Stalfos. She aimed her bow, firing an arrow and stunning one while she slashed the other with a blade attached to the limb of the bow. With one down, she turned to the other, killing it with a strike from her blade.

With both dead, she focused her attention on the chest in the center of the room, finding another small silver key. She pocketed this key next to the previous key; heading back to the Torch Room and going west. Entering another courtyard, she quickly climbed the ivy wall, entering the alcove at the top and going through the door.

Inside was a Blue Bubble, guarding another chest. She blocked the attacking Bubble with her bow, snapping off an arrow once its flamed died out. Jenna opened, finding a map of the Forest Temple inside. "Perfect, now I'll have an idea of where to go next..."

Jenna headed to the eastern courtyard, she had noticed that all of the courtyards were a bit foggy, periodically checking the map. Upon entering, she climbed the ivy wall, panting from all the climbing she had done while traveling the temple. She turned her head to the left, seeing a balcony with a white circle above it. Jenna knew she could jump across the gap. So she fired the hookshot at the circle to see what it'll do and hook attached itself there. Pulling herself over to the balcony and dropping down, landing on a switch that drained a well in the corner of the courtyard. Jenna jumped from the balcony, running for the well and jumping down. Her legs feeling a bit sore from the landings but nothing more. Inside she found a chest with her third small key. She climbed another ivy wall to the to the top, finding herself in the west courtyard.

Jenna returned to the torch room, using a key on a locked door, making her way to a room with a massive stone block. She looked to the floor, seeing arrows painted on them, she followed the arrows to a small hole with the same marking as seen on the stone block. "Hm... it looks like I'll need to push the block along the arrows..." Jenna figured, pulling the block from its location and onto the first arrow, pushing it from there. The block clicked into place and Jenna climbed it and the ledge above to another hall with a red block. Jenna sighed, pulling and pushing the block into place and climbing it and the ledge to follow.

After climbing a ladder, she saw a locked door, using her second key to open that and heading through a twisted corridor to a large room on the other side. Spotting a Wallmaster on the ceiling startled Jenna just a bit. But Jenna quickly fired an arrow at it once the shock passed and knocked it off. She quickly jumped to a stone pillar and then made a leap to the right to a locked door, using her third key. As she headed toward the stairwell, she noticed a row of three portraits, seeing the red Poe within them.

Jenna took her chances, firing at a portrait as the red Poe stood in it. However, the portrait would burn each time. Once all the portraits were gone, the red Poe appeared at the bottom of the stairwell. Jenna fired upon it, causing the Poe to vanish and then re-appear. After a series of shots, the Poe died, returning the red flame to the Torch Room, or so she guessed. Jenna checked a nearby chest, grabbing a new small key.

As she headed for the Torch Room, Jenna noticed a silver eye over the door heading to the twisted corridor. She fired the arrow, taking out the eye. She opened the door, seeing that the corridor was straightened. She ran down the hall, entering the room one more. She spotted a large chest, colored blue and gold. Upon opening it, Jenna found a much larger golden key with a red jewel on it, pocketing it for later use.

Dropping through a pit in the floor, she went through a nearby door back to the west courtyard on an upper ledge. She ran carefully along the ledge, stopping at the end going into the alcove on the right, going through another door. Inside the room was a Floormaster, which she shot with an arrow. She turned to the chest in front of her. As she reached for the key, Jenna felt something tug at her boot. She turned her head, seeing a small Floormaster attempting to remove her footwear. Jenna calmly crushed the tiny creature under her boot. She noticed two more small Floomasters, taking them out with arrows and then grabbing the key and leaving, readjusting her boot on the way.

She made her way back to the room with the silver eye, shooting it open and running through the twisted corridor and down the stairwell into a room. In the room was a large hole and a Stalfos. Jenna quickly killed the Stalfos with an arrow, and noticing she was running low on arrows, an elevator covering the pit. On the elevator were two more Stalfos, which she dispatched. She went through the other door in the room, finding a stairwell with another three portraits, this time containing a blue Poe. She repeated the process she had done with the red Poe, killing this one and returning the blue flame. She had found some pots near by and checked inside of them. Finding some more arrows that she could use. Jenna then looked into a nearby chest, finding a compass inside. She climbed back up to the top of the stairwell, opening a locked door and going through a hallway. She took out a Wallmaster before continuing down the hall in to a room.

Inside the room were four rotating platforms, a torch in the center. Against the right wall was another eyeball, frozen in ice. Jenna jumped onto a platform, pulling back the arrow and waiting, firing at the right position to go through the flame. The flaming arrow struck the eye, melting the ice and activating the switch. When she left the room, the hallway was twisted around, much like the previous corridor. She walked down the hallway, leaving it and entering the next room, dropping down a pit into the next room.

The room had a ceiling with multiple gaps in it. She heard a rumbling sound and upon getting close, watched the ceiling fall down, rising back up. Jenna ran quickly, moving towards a gap the second she heard the ceiling move. Knowing that if she was caught under the ceiling, she would not return to Kasuto alive. Along the way, Jenna pressed a switch which opened the door at the end of the room. She made it past the deadly ceiling, entering the next room.

Inside the room was another portrait, which Jenna destroyed. However, five blocks fell from the ceiling. Jenna quickly looked them over, seeing an image of the Green Poe. She moved aside the additional block, putting the other four together as quickly as she could. The Green Poe appeared, fighting Jenna. However, she was easy to defeat, returning the Green flame. Jenna returned to the Torch Room, where the Purple Poe awaited in fours. Jenna guessed that she wouldn't be as easy as the previous Poes to defeat.

However she kept her eyes on them, which that would aid her more then she had thought. Noticing that one of the Poes spun, Jenna shot it with an arrow, causing the other three to vanish and only leaving the one she shot. After another fight, Jenna killed the final Poe, restoring the Purple flame and activating the elevator beneath her. Jenna climbed down, going down the elevator.

The room Jenna entered was odd, with a number of rooms blocked off by the wall. To her right and left were two pieces of wall jutting out. She went to the left, pushing the wall piece, moving the entire wall. She saw a room with a switch on it; running and pressing the switch, opened a door elsewhere in the room. She went to right, pushing that wall next. Another switch was revealed, which she pressed. And yet another door opened, trying her patience. After 10 minutes of moving walls and pressing switches. She found her way to the room containing the Forest Medallion.

She entered the room, finding a large gold and green chest in the center. Opening the chest, Jenna acquired the green, glowing disc; since she could feel some sort of power emanating from it. She turned to leave the room, only to find the stairway sealed off by bars.

"Ah! What the?!" She turned behind her to see Ganondorf, perched upon a black steed. "No... It can't be..." she gasped, backing slowly away, her face paling at the sight of the King of Evil. However, his face burst away in dark flames, revealing a skull mask with long horns. The horse flew off into one of the identical paintings surrounding the rooms, all of a road leading to a dark castle.

Ganondorf began to ride out of the portrait. Jenna, shaking, readied her bow, firing at him. She managed to hit her target. The second time, she was not as lucky as the horse rode back into the picture while another struck the center where the chest was with lightning. However, Jenna had backed herself into a safe corner. After finally getting two more successful strikes, the horse abandoned Ganondorf.

However, Ganondorf floated in the air firing a bolt of lightning at Jenna. Jenna managed to reflect the bolt back with her bow, knocking Ganondorf to the floor. Jenna quickly snapped off another arrow, hitting the stunned Ganondorf. After a series of back and forth fights, she fired an arrow straight in Ganondorf's head. The King of Evil fell to the floor, dead.

"Yes! I did it! I defeated Ganondorf! Hyrule is- huh?"

Jenna's celebration was cut short as Ganondorf's body turned into dark energy, surrounding the center of the platform. From the portal rose a figure in a red cloak, one faded and tattered from prolonged exposure to sand. The figure clapped slowly, mockingly.

"Well done, little girl. You have managed to defeat Phantom Ganon," the figure said arms crossed.

"Ph-phantom Ganon?"

"Yes. That was not the true Ganondorf, but merely a construct of his. Master Ganondorf brought him back from the gap between dimensions as a test. But he failed. So now, let's see if you can take on the Ariakas, Lord of Shadows..."

Jenna readied her bow, aiming at the cloaked man. There was a gleam in his red eyes and soon, Jenna felt her neck being gripped by an unseen force. Jenna struggled, gasping for breath as Ariakas looked down at her. Dropping her bow and arrow in the process. "What a terrible fate... to be killed by your own shadow... but it brings a smile to my face to watch you fight against that you cannot destroy..."

Jenna's fight against her shadow weakened. However, a burst of green light sent the shadow back behind Jenna. Ariakas growled, looking to the source of the light. A small, childlike woman with green hair and blue eyes appeared as the light faded. She held the Forest Medallion in her hand.

"Yield, Ariakas..." she ordered, the medallion glowing bright.

Ariakas growled once more. "As much as I want to kill you now... my master needs my assistance... but the world will fall to darkness soon enough..." he warned, sinking into the portal he came from, which vanished into thin air.

Jenna coughed and wheezed, slowly regaining her breath. She slowly stood back up, helped by the woman before her.

"Thank you for collecting the Forest Medallion," she said. Jenna nodded, shaking and pale from the experience of facing the self-proclaimed Lord of Shadows.

"Tell me, why are you here?" the green-haired woman asked.

"My... friend and I are on a journey. To collect the medallions and save Hyrule from the darkness..." Jenna said, slowly recovering from her near-death experience.

"A noble goal to be sure. And since you defeated Phantom Ganon and freed me from my imprisonment within the temple, it is only fair that I reward you. Take the Forest Medallion. It will aid you in your quest. If you attach it to your weapon, you will be able to command the winds. It will be especially useful for a bowman like yourself."

"Thank you, miss..."

"Saria, Sage of the Forest."

"Saria."

The two left the Forest Temple, returning to the Kokiri Forest where Kasuto and Mido waited.

"Jenna! You're back! You got the medallion!" Kasuto cried, running up to his compatriot on this journey.

"Mhm. But what of the Forest? Won't you be overtaken by the darkness?" Jenna asked, concerned.

"We'll be protected," Saria explained. "The Great Deku Scrub will keep the forest safe. And if he should die, Mido and the rest of the Kokiri have trained in case of monster attacks. But it's best you two get going. I wish you both luck in your quest."

"Thank you, Saria. We do have a long journey ahead of us. Ready, Kasuto?"

"Ready," he answered, getting onto Epona. The two rode off from the Forest.

"Do you think they'll be able to do it, Saria?" Mido asked.

"I can't say for certain, Mido. But something tells me that they will succeed. We can only hope that they do... for Hyrule's sake."


	4. Sub-Chapter: Ganondorf's Shadow

Deep within the barrier surrounding Hyrule castle, Ganondorf sat upon his throne. The castle had been corrupted, perverted to fit his image. From front gate to throne room, the castle had a dark and foreboding aura around him. And while Ganondorf would have sat on his throne, powerful and proud of his work, he was weak. His time being sealed away had drained him of his power. Ganondorf lifted his head as he saw a portal open before him.

Out stepped Ariakas, who calmly walked over to his master with the Shadow Medallion. "Master, you're too weak to be summoning monsters. Allow me to handle the two pests gathering the medallions."

Ganondorf let out a soft growl as Ariakas placed the medallion on his master's chest. The purple disc glowed with energy, which coursed through Ganondorf. A soft golden glow, from his hand, seemed to resonate with the Shadow Medallion's power.

"You drained yourself of what little power you had regained in this realm summoning Phantom Ganon... I have strength enough for the both of us, Master..."

Ganondorf chuckled. "Of course, Ariakas. Even if those fools gather the medallions, we are more than prepared."

"As we speak, the Kokiri Forest falls to darkness... without the Forest Medallion, they have nothing to protect them against the coming shadows. Such is the fate of Hyrule as they take the medallions..." Ariakas said, pulling out one half of the Light Medallion. Ganondrof chuckled, remembering his battle with Rauru. The Sage of Light had fought valiantly, but even without magic, Ganondorf overpowered him, slicing the Light Medallion and beginning the spread of darkness. His smile soon faded.

"They still have the Sprout," Ganondorf reminded Ariakas. "It'll protect them from the dangers and darkness."

"For now," added Ariakas.

"For now," Ganondorf agreed with him. For it would be easy to eliminate their guardian, as he had done once before.

"To have Hyrule cast in eternal darkness... to rule over all with an iron fist... where no light could ever shine... it is a great vision, Master..."

"See to making it a reality, Ariakas..."

"Of course," Ariakas said, bowing to Ganondorf before sinking into the shadows once more.


	5. The Fire Medallion

The morning sun rose over Death Mountain as Jenna and Kasuto began their ride up the trail after a night's rest in Kakariko Village. They handed the guards a note from the Princess of Hyrule, given to them by the old messenger, showing that they were there on royal business. The gate was opened and they began their trek. The climb up the mountain was not easy, with Tektites and giant boulders. But the two kept going, dodging boulders and killing Tektites. Soon, the two made it to the entrance of the City, where a large Goron stood guard.

Jenna stepped off her horse. "Excuse me, sir. I am sure you have heard of the warnings, but we need to-" she started, attempting a diplomatic approach, only for the massive rock-man to ignore her, walking over to Kasuto, who was dismounting from Epona.

"You..." the Goron grunted, setting himself into a fighting stance. Kasuto nodded, removing his scrap metal armor and shirt and matching his opponent's stance. A test of strength commenced between the two, and while Kasuto appeared to be on an even ground with the Goron, Jenna noticed that the Goron was not putting any effort into the fight. However, that changed and Kasuto found himself pushed to the ground.

The Goron looked over his fallen foe. "You lost..."

Jenna started to get worried, thinking that Kasuto had just blew their chance of getting the next medallion. However, Kasuto smiled and started laughing.

"Kasuto! What are you doing? You're-" Jenna objected until she heard the loud, hearty laugh of the Goron who had bested him. The Goron helped Kasuto to his feet.

"Kasuto! You get stronger every time I see you!"

"Ha ha ha! Thanks, Dalamar, ya big softie!"

"Hah! So, what brings you to our city? ..You brought a mate, huh? I told you before, Kasuto! Goron Springs are only a legend!"

Jenna turned red with anger and embarrassment. "Mate? No! That is not why we're here!"

"Oh... then why are you here?"

Jenna breathed in a bit, regaining her composure. "We are here to collect the Fire Medallion in an effort to destroy the darkness that has overtaken Hyrule Castle."

Dalamar looked over the two humans, letting out a low chuckle. "You expect to enter the Fire Temple in that junk armor? You'd melt just walking up to Death Mountain Crater!"

The Goron lifted Jenna and Kasuto onto his shoulders, carrying them to his home. "Come! I'll take you to my forge to make you some real armor!"

"Lead the way, buddy!" Kasuto said while Jenna clung to Dalamar, hoping to not fall off. The three entered Dalamar's forge, Dalamar setting the two down and getting to work. After an hour of work, he had cooled off two sets of full armor, with any part that was fabric being parts of a Goron Tunic, and two shields.

"There! Should be all set for going into the Fire Temple... oh! I almost forgot! The temple is where we stored out greatest tool... hm... now let's see if I can find it .. Aha!" Dalamar cried, tossing down a gold bracelet with triangular patterns carved into it. Kasuto picked it up.

"Ah... a Goron Bracelet."

"That's right, brother! You'll need it to carry the hammer! It will give you the strength of a Goron!"

"Impressive," Jenna observed. "Maybe with this you'll be able to beat Dalamar."

"Hey!" Kasuto shouted. Jenna and Dalamar laughed as Kasuto put on the armor and bracelet, placing the hookshot on his belt.

He headed to the Death Mountain Crater using a special, but well known, passageway in Darunia's chambers. The armor protected Kasuto from the sweltering heat of the active volcano. Seeing that the bridge to get there was a bit broken. So he used his hookshot on a wooden post, that surprisingly had not been burnt, and he got to the other side. Then he climbed down a hole with the ladder, which was cool to the touch, which allow him entrance to the temple. He headed up the stairs of the Fire Temple's entrance hall, minding the Fire Keese flying by. Going through a door on the left, he saw Darunia inside the room.

"Huh? Who goes there?" Darunia called out.

"I am the Thief King Kasuto! Wielder of the Silver Sword and-" Kasuto started before being cut off.

"Ah! You're Dalamar's human buddy! What brings you to the Fire Temple? Not here to steal the Megaton Hammer, are you?"

"No. I need to get the Fire Medallion to save Hyrule from the darkness!"

"Hrm... it's a risky venture... you could cast Death Mountain in that darkness... tell you what, we'll make a deal! I had come in here with some friends, but that traitor Ariakas used the Shadow Medallion to capture them and plans to feed them to the recently revived Volvagia. If you free them, I'll not only allow you to take the Fire Medallion, I'll help you fight Volvagia. Deal?"

"Deal!" Kasuto agreed. Darunia headed off while Kasuto checked the room, seeing an imprisoned Goron. He jumped over on pillars, hitting a switch on the floor and freeing the Goron. The Goron gave him some advice before leaving while Kasuto grabbed a small silver key from a chest, pocketing it. It might prove useful later.

Kasuto left the room, heading out to the entrance hall and running across the next room, still mindful of the Fire Keese. He ran to the left of the large room, moving along the platforms in the middle of the room on the way to a ledge on the left side of the room, seeing a large block on top of a sandstone platform. He ignored it for now, entering the alcove beneath the block and going through the door inside. He ran down the hall, freeing another Goron who gave him more advice; which was to use their "special crop" at an oddly-colored walls before leaving. Kasuto grabbed the key from that room as well.

Upon returning to the Lava Cavern, Kasuto ran to the opposite side, seeing an oddly-colored wall. He pulled a bomb from his old satchel, remembering what the Goron Special Crop was. He lit it up and tossed it and blasting it open. Revealing a door, once the smoke had cleared, he went through. Entering the room to another switch, another freed Goron and another key. He returned to Lava Cavern, he headed to the door on the right.

Kasuto slid down the steep log bridge to inside of a cage. He started climbing the cage and then climbing onto a platform that stretched out over the room. Looking the to the ceiling, he notice there was a hole up there. He had a hunch he had to get up there. Jumping down onto a sandstone platform below. Kasuto pushed a massive block, landing it in the lava, which was right under the hole in the ceiling. Before he could jump on it, the block started to shake and then was pushed upward because of the minor eruption but it stopped after a minute or so and the block came down, although it didn't break. He jumped down and stood on the block as it started to shake. A column of lava blasted him in the air. He got off the block quickly, landing on a platform and going through a nearby door.

Kasuto went to the left upon entering the room. Hopping onto a ledge. He was nearly attacked by a Fire Slug, slicing it in two. He climbed up onto another ledge which had another Fire Slug. He jumped to the next ledge, pushing a giant stone block off the ledge, the block landing on the stone track below. He jumped down, pulling the block into position and climbing back up the platform, jumping over to a ledge.

Kasuto climbed a wire wall to his left, moving to the edge of a cliff. He dropped another bomb, the bomb landing and exploding on a diamond-shaped switch below. A pillar of flames vanished and Kasuto quickly climbed the wire wall, reaching the top and going through a door. He went through a maze of rolling boulders; making it to a small alcove with door inside and going through it.

Inside was another switch, another Goron to free and another key to obtain. Kasuto returned to the Boulder Maze, freeing a fifth Goron and acquiring a fifth key along the way. He used that key to open a locked door, entering a new room. The room had narrow bridges which he walked carefully across, shooting a silver eye with his hookshot, which Jenna had told him about on their trip to Death Mountain. A sealed door unlocked, which he went through. Inside the room was a chest containing the Fire Temple map. "On the one hand, this is pretty pointless given how easy this place has been to navigate... on the other, I've been going back and forth so much I may as well be lost..." Kasuto muttered as he pocketed the map.

He left the room, going through a door to his right, returning to the same room, though on the other side of a large fence. Kasuto ran along a narrow bridge, jumping onto a wire floor suspended above the lava. A curtain of lava erupted from the floor. Kasuto ran along the platform once he noticed that the curtain of lava was moving towards him. Jumping to the next platform when it was the right time, running along that one now and moving to a third platform. He jumped onto some sandstone steps on the other side. He climbed up the stairs, going through a door on the left.

Kasuto found himself atop the Boulder Maze, jumping along the walls that formed the maze. As he found that he preferred to be up there then in the maze. He killed a Lava Slug, jumping onto a long narrow platform and running along it. At the end of the platform he turned to his left, seeing another platform with a Lave Slug on it. He jumped to the platform, killing the Lava Slug. He jumped to the next leftmost platform, landing on a switch that freed another Goron. He freed the Goron, gaining more advice and another key. As Kasuto headed out, he noticed a platform with a gash in it. Curious, he dropped a bomb on it, the explosion revealing a pit he jumped into.

Once again, there was a trapped Goron who offered advice and a key. He made his way through the temple, entering a room filled with fire-based traps. Fire-breathing statues, invisible walls of flame and probably more awaited Kasuto. He made his way through the maze, making it to a room with another chest, this one containing a compass. Which would prove useful for him to know exactly where he was.

Going through the maze again, Kasuto made his way to another room. While there was a trapped Goron inside, the was nothing he could do. At least not now. He tried talking to the Goron, but the trapped Goron wasn't listening, as the Goron feared that he was going to be taken to Volvagia to be eaten. He went through the door on the other side of the room, finding himself back in the fire maze. He made his way through the maze again, blasting a fake door out of his way after trying to open it and having it come crashing down on him, and entering the real door behind it. He was glad that he had jumped from the fake door's attack and kept himself unharmed.

Inside the room he saw what looked to be a scarecrow on fire. Kasuto, seeing what passed for a heart for the creature, pulled it out with a hookshot, slashing it in half with his sword, a process he repeated with the burning scarecrow. The pillar of flames in the center of the room disappeared. Kasuto climbed onto the platform before it began to rise. He went through the door at the top of the shaft.

Inside the room, Kasuto climbed a wire mesh wall to the second floor, dropping a bomb down on a Diamond Switch, removing the pillar of flames surrounding the ladder to the next room. He climbed quickly, going through another door. He quickly climbed up the ledge across from the door. Stepping on a switch, stopping a pillar of flames surrounding a nearby chest. Kasuto ran up a narrow staircase, using the hookshot to reach the chest once he reached the top. When he opened the chest he found a massive hammer, most likely the Megaton Hammer Darunia spoke of.

Upon acquiring the hammer, he jumped off the cliff, landing where he came in. Landing on the large stone face coming out of the floor, Kasuto smashed it and was thankful he had the Groron Bracelet, sending a block down to floor. He also smashed a statue, revealing a door. He went through the door. He ran forward, seeing yet another stone block. Smashing yet another statue uncovered a stairwell. He quickly ran down the stairs, wooden box in hand. Dropping the box on a blue switch unsealed another door to go through.

Kasuto found himself in a hidden chamber above the Fire Maze. He stood on a stone block in the corner, smashing it with the Megaton Hammer, sending it to the floor below. He jumped from the block to a higher ledge, finding a sealed door with a rusted switch. He smashed the switch with the hammer, unsealing the door and going through it. In the next room was another block to knock into place with the hammer. After doing so, he jumped to the opposite ledge, smashing another rusty switch with the hammer and freeing the Goron below. Another key and piece of advice followed as Kasuto continued his journey, going through the Fire Maze again.

Kasuto went across the room, climbing onto a stone block, smashing it with the Megaton Hammer and riding it back to where had met Darunia. He left through the east door, returning to the entrance hall where he would smash yet another totem pole, revealing a new door. In that room, he was besieged by Fire Keese and Fire Slugs, using the spin attack to dispatch them. He went through the previously-sealed door. In the following room, titles floated from the floor to attack them, only to hit his new shield, which broke them. After the titles stopped attacking, Kasuto sliced the Like-Like at the end in half and was glad he wasn't eaten by it. He had heard of tales of people getting eaten by them and losing their belongings in the process while they tried to fight for their life. He left through the door after that thought, to a room with another Flare Dancer.

After killing another Flare Dancer, Kasuto went south into a room were after smashing another rusted switch, he got more advice from a Goron, but the key was different. The chest was larger and the key was not a small one, but a much larger and more ornate one. He figured this would be the key that would lead him to the Fire Medallion and headed out, making his way to where Darunia was waiting. However, so was Ariakas...

"Ah, good... the "Thief King" has arrived. Volvagia could use something soft to chew on..." Ariakas quipped, chuckling as he positioned the Shadow Medallion once more over the lava, firing dark energy into it. The ground rumbled as Volvagia rose from the lava. However, this was not the same dragon that the Hero of Time defeated. When he arose, he had three heads.

"I have quite the power, don't you think? Now then, to leave you to your demise. Volvagia needs to feed, after all..."

The Lava Dragon brought its center head down, devouring Ariakas, only to find that the Lord of Shadows had faded away before its mouth shut. Volvagia roared, its other heads blasting out fire. The two heads attempted to bite down on Darunia and Kasuto, only be dodged or blocked.

"Hrm... I got it! Use the hammer! Launch me at the main head!" Darunia ordered, curling up into a ball. Kasuto nodded, readying the hammer and swinging, launching the balled-up Darunia into Volvagia's center head. The head was sent smashing against the wall, rendering the other two heads unconscious on the platform where Darunia rejoined Kasuto. The two got to work, Kasuto slicing the left head off while Darunia shattered the skull of the right head with a punch. Volvagia roared in anger.

"Okay, so now we just need to take out the main head, how do we-" Kasuto started before Darunia lifted him up, launching the human right at the dragon. Kasuto, after the shock of what happened wore off, reading the Silver Sword. Volvagia's breathed fire on Kasuto, but Dalamar's armor protected him as he soared at the dragon, slicing his final head clean off. Kasuto bounced off the wall, landing back onto the platform, where the chest containing the Fire Medallion fell. Darunia kicked open the chest, taking out the red disc and handing it to Kasuto. The medallion glowed bright and heated up in his hands. But Kasuto gripped it tight, no matter how much pain it caused, and the medallion died down.

"You have done well, brother! The Fire Medallion is good hands. Attach the medallion to the hilt of your sword, and you will summon flames to aid you in destroying your enemies," Darunia exclaimed, patting Kasuto on the shoulder with his large hand. Causing Kasuto to stumble a bit since the pat was pretty powerful.

"Thank you, Darunia. I will use it with pride."

The two left the Fire Temple, Darunia returning to his home whilst Kasuto returned to Dalamar's forge. "Ah, Kasuto! You made it back in one piece, brother!"

"That I did, Dalamar. I also got the Fire Medallion," he answered, showing Dalamar and Jenna the medallion before returning it to his belt.

"Well done! Hm... I'll need you two to join me tonight. I have a secret to show you," Dalamar said, returning to his work. The two humans looked to each other, unsure of what to expect. As night came, Dalamar lead them by lantern light to a cavern. Within the cavern they saw a hot spring, with the steam rising off from it. Giving an inviting feel to it. "Kasuto, Jenna... welcome to the Goron Spring!"

"The Goron Spring? You told me it was just a legend!"

"Heh! That was to keep you from looking around for it, buddy! Can't have you going and telling everyone you know! But for tonight, you two can take a dip and then head out by morning!"

"Okay! Thanks Dalamar!" Kasuto shouted, stripping himself of his armor and diving into the water. "Come in, Jenna! The water's fine!"

Jenna walked over the spring slowly, tugging off her boots. "I'll just soak my feet for a bit. You can enjoy the rest of the spring all by yourself," she answered, sliding her now-bare feet into the water.

"Come on! Have a little fun!" Kasuto replied, grabbing her foot. Jenna let out a gasp, trying to pull away.

"Ah! Kasuto, let go! That tickles!"

"Come on! Just a little dip!"

However, Jenna hit Kasuto with a sharp kick from her other foot, sending him into the water. "Sorry, Kasuto. But I'm fine sitting here..."

Kasuto resurfaced, shaking his head a little. "It's okay..." He swam to the opposite side of the spring.

"So, how did you and Dalamar become friends?"

"Heh. Well, me and one group were heading for the village when Dalamar stopped them, challenging any one of us to a fight. They tossed me to him and left me there. So I fought, and lost. I challenged him to a rematch, and lost. Another rematch... still lost. This kept going until I won. I wore him down and finally won... we became good friends after that."

"I see... so I guess the plan is a soak in the spring, then we rest and head out in the morning to the Zora's Domain."

"Mhm... I'm gonna leave the Water Medallion to you."

"Thank you, Kasuto."

The two sat there for a while, conversing for a bit and letting the hot, but soothing, water help with their weariness before eventually heading down from Death Mountain to Kakariko Village. They were able to stop at an inn and rest, waiting for when they would head out again in the morning.


	6. The Water Medallion

The midday sun's light reflected over the water as Jenna and Kasuto rode alongside Zora's River. Their ride came to a stop at the Sleepless Waterfall, blocking their path to the Zora's Domain. As the two pondered how to get over the waterfall, it stopped flowing, and a Zora woman stepped out, flanked by two guards.

"Well, what brings you to our domain?" the woman asked.

"Greetings, miss..." Jenna started.

"Ruto, Princess of the Zoras and Sage of Water. Now, I believe I asked a question."

"Right, we're here to collect the Water Medallion so as to-"

"What?! You think I'm going to risk my people's lives to let a couple of outsiders take the one thing protecting them! Who do you think you are?"

Jenna remained calm, pulling out the Forest Medallion.

"Ah! Where did you get that?"

"From the Forest Sage, Saria. We've been gathering the medallions in an effort to free Hyrule from the darkness."

"Ah... I see. Forgive me for being rash. I've been on edge as of late. I have sensed something dark looming over our domain. I can feel it in the water..."

"Your apology is accepted. We would be willing to help you be at peace if you would be willing to help us in our quest."

"Of course... but we will need to replace your armor. Follow me. Quickly."

Ruto went back into the Zora's Domain, Jenna and Kasuto were quick to follow as Ruto turned to the Zora Shop showing them a set armor much like the one given to them by Dalamar. However, the tunic's color was blue as opposed to the red of the Goron Tunic.

"This is the Zora Tunic. With it, you'll be able to swim and breathe like a Zora. It's one of two things you'll need to traverse the Water Temple."

"What is the second thing?" Jenna asked her.

"An item the Hero of Time had, called the Iron Boots."

"Iron Boots?" Kasuto spoke with a questioning tone.

"Yes. These boots are heavy and allowed him, with the armor you now have, to traverse the temple with ease," she answered, remembering seeing him wearing them when she saw him in that temple. "However, I do not know where he got them."

A groan could be heard from Kasuto, as if he had hoped for that vital piece of information. Thankfully Jenna gave him a quick elbow to the side to remind him not to be disrespectful to the Sage of Water and Zorain Princess.

"Is there a way to get them then? Or make them ourselves?" Jenna asks.

"Well, perhaps there might be someone who can do that task," Ruto answers.

"Who is it, your highness?"

"He is a Goron by the name of Dalamar."

Both Jenna and Kasuto stood and stared at the Princess for a few moments before doing anything else. Out of all the Gorons she could've said, it was Kasuto's friend that got the mention. Also they were just at Death Mountain moments ago, it would take another few days to get there, ask for the boots to be made, and then go with Princess Ruto to where the Water Temple was. And time was not on their side.

"You seem surprised," Ruto speaks up after that moment of silence.

"We were just there! See?" Kasuto showed the Fire Medallion which belonged to Darunia.

"I see."

"It took about a half a day to come here from Kakariko Village and a long hike from Goron City to get here. We don't have much time to travel like this."

"Well, if time is of the essence then we shall use a different way to get to Goron City."

"A different way," Jenna blinked.

"Follow me and you'll see. And you can leave your belongings here. They will be safe, but put on the Zora armor."

Quickly they were able to change into them in different rooms, while Ruto took care of paying for it, without paying. As she was their Princess; whle they hurried back to her. She took them out of Zora's Domain and back into Zora's River. She then walked to the left a bit to a small indented area with a pond. Both Kasuto and Jenna had glanced over it on their way there, and during the verbal fight with Ruto.

"We will take this route there," Ruto says and dove in herself. Sinking to the bottom with ease as the two looked in. Seeing that it was crystal clear and could see Ruto. Who then swam through a small hole on the other side.

"So who's first?" Jenna asks, only to have Kasuto jump in and swim to the bottom.

Unlike Ruto, he couldn't sink to the ground, and so he had to keep swimming there. But he found that he was naturally holding his breath, and released it. His body gasped for air only to find that he was breathing fine. It was about this time that Jenna dove in after him. They both swam into the hole, now not needing to worry about holding their breath; Jenna finding that out the same way Kasuto did. As they swam through the hole, they felt as if a spell was cast upon them, but they couldn't explain it more then that.

Soon they saw a light at the end of the hole, which they knew it was a tunnel now, and came to another small pond. They same to the surface to find themselves in the Lost Woods again and with Ruto out of the water and looking at them.

"Come on, wee need to kept going," she said to the two confused humans.

"What just happened to us?" Kasuto asked to her. "We were in Zora's River and now we're in the Lost Woods."

"We used one of the waterways in Hyrule to get to the Lost Woods. He told me about this and another passageway to get to Goron City from here. It made his traveling easier, he said."

"He?"

"The Hero of Time."

Once out of the water, it didn't take long at all. Ruto took Kasuto and Jenna a bit through the Lost Woods,, and saw a tunnel through one of the sides. Similar to some of the doors in Goron City. So she lead them through it and that same magical feeling hit them again as they walked out into Goron City. It was surprising to be there, but they had to hurry to find Dalamar to get this task done.

They ran through the city, thankfully Ruto seemed fine to be there in the heat and all. But they got to his workshop to see the said Goron there.

"Brother, what brings you back with Princess Ruto?" he asked.

"Dalamar," Ruto looked to him. "I've come to receive your part of the deal we had made."

That had surprised Kasuto and Jenna a bit. But before they could ask more about it, Dalamar asked what she wanted. And then the Princess asked for a pair of Iron Boots to be made. Dalamar wondered why she would want that, but told her to wait here and he got to work.

"So, how do you know Dalamar?" Kasuto asked Ruto. It was odd since she was a Zora and not just a Zora, but the Princess of them.

"He asked me for a favor a while ago. He was looking for the Goron Springs and needed my help. As a Zora and the Sage of Water, I can do this task with ease. And within a day of looking for it, we had found it. Grateful for the help, he offered to give me something in return, however, at the time I didn't need anything. So I decline it, but like all Gorons, he still wanted to return the favor. So I told him that if I need something from him, I would tell him and he could do it then."

"So, you're the reason why he knew how to get to the Goron Springs," Jenna says, Ruto nodding to her to confirm that fact.

It didn't take much time until a pair of Iron Boots were made and cooled, so the wearer wouldn't burn the feet because of the hot metal used in making them. He handed them to Kasuto, and if it wasn't for the Goron Bracelet he was wearing they and him would hit the ground, while Ruto thanked him, telling that his debt to her was now off. After wishing Dalamr farewell, the trio went back to Zora's River the same way they got to Goron City. Which cut their travel time by a few days. As it was dusk when they returned to Zora's Domain.

"Too late to head out to the Temple now," Jenna muses. But then she saw Ruto shaking her head at her.

"It won't be too late to go now. We will make it there by early evening at most."

Once again, both Kasuto and Jenna was surprised at Ruto's statement. Even riding on a horse at a gallop the whole way there wouldn't make it. Even with a horse by the name of Epona. However, it was then when Jenna thought of something. They had gotten to Goron City using the waterways and walking through the Lost Woods. Perhaps Ruto had a way to get there quickly.

"Is there another waterway we'll be using?" she asked to see if she was right.

"There is," Ruto confirmed Jenna's theory.

Once they were back in Zora's Domain, Ruto showed them where it was. A deep pool, the water was clear there like everywhere else, and both were surprised to see another hole was carved in the rock wall. But it was their way to get to the next temple.

Ruto dove into the water, as she was going to lead them there, and it was decided that Jenna was going to tackle this temple while Kasuto would stay behind. He made sure she was equipped with the right items, the hookshot being one of them, and she dove in after the princess. Following her throw that hole and feeling that unexplained magic again. And when she came out of there, she could see they were in a lake.

"This is Lake Hylia," Ruto stated. "It is here were we'll find the water temple. Follow me."

They swam to an island there and noticed the temple's entrance. However, it was surprisingly closed. Even Ruto was surprised at this turn of events. The Zora was looking at it and was standing on the ground. So it was time to test out the Iron Boots and see if they would hold her down. She put them on and quickly she sunk to the ground. They were working.

"It should be be open to everyone."

"Then that is not a good sign for us," Jenna sighed. But she then noticed a crystal over top of the door. It looked out of place to her and so she tried to fire an arrow at it. Only to fine that it didn't work at all under the water.

"What are you trying to do?" Ruto asked as she saw the failure.

"I'm trying to hit that crystal. It might be the key to open the temple," Jenna answers. "However, I can't use my bow in the water."

"Then try something else."

"I will," Jenna took aim with her other item, the hookshot and this time it worked. It hit the crystal dead on and the crystal floated out of the socket and up to the surface. This caused the gate to open and allowing the two to enter the temple.

The two entered the first dungeon, Jenna removing the Iron Boots to climb out of the water, only to have to put them back on a second later, sinking down to the bottom of the water and running as fast as the boots would allow her to.

"We will need to lower the water level if we are to acquire the Medallion," Ruto noted.

"Lead the way," Jenna responded as Ruto swam up, Jenna removing the Iron Boots and carrying them in her hand, thankful that Kasuto gave her the Goron Bracelet before she headed for the Temple so she could carry the heavy boots while swimming. Once at the surface, Ruto used her power to lower the water level. Jenna quickly jumped back down, waiting for Ruto who came back a second later holding a map.

"The map to the Water Temple, I assume."

Ruto nodded, pointing to a set of unlit torches. "Perhaps the Fire Medallion would come in handy."

Jenna quickly pulled out the Fire Medallion, attaching it to her bow and firing a fire arrow at each torch, lighting them up. The door in front of the torches unlocked. The two stepped through the door, killing the awaiting shell-like creatures to open a chest and gain a small key. They left room, heading to the main area and down to the west side of the room, Jenna climbing up a platform to move a heavy stone block with the Goron Bracelet's power. The block fell down a pit of water, which the two dove into. Then they ran down a hall and swam up to the surface. Jenna shot an arrow into the nearby diamond switch, causing a pillar of water to rise from a pit in the room. The two jumped onto the pillar and then quickly jumped to the other side of the pit.

They entered the door on the other side, leading to a room with a whirlpool inside. Jenna jumped into the whirlpool, seeing a statue of dragon with a diamond switch in its mouth and a small alcove. Jenna fired at the alcove first, hitting a target that pulled her into the alcove. From there, she fired at the diamond switch, opening the grating behind her. Swimming past the Shell Blades in front of here, she climbed up the ledge and found a small key in the chest. She looked to see the grating had closed and yet another diamond switch. She tossed a bomb aside, diving down once it exploded and going through the reopened grating, returning to the main hallway where Ruto was waiting.

The two unlocked the door to the central pillar. Upon entering, Ruto rose the water level, lifting up the platform behind them. Jenna put on the Iron Boots, going down the hole to the passage that was opened. Inside, she found a switch which she hit with the hookshot, unleashing the monsters from a grating. She made quick work of them, opening a second grating. Inside that passage was a chest with another small key. She returned to where Ruto was, swimming up to the surface and going through a nearby door., followed by Ruto. When the door shut, they found it locked on the other side.

They headed down the to floor, returning to the hall where Jenna had earlier noticed a gash in the wall. Jenna tossed a bomb at it, blowing it up and finding a chest inside with another small key. They returned to main room, unlocking a locked door on the west side.

Inside, They saw a small pillar of water and diamond switch. Hovering over the pillar was a blue Tektite that Jenna shot down with an arrow, moving onto the pillar and shooting the switch once Ruto stood on it. Jenna followed afterwards. Ruto raised the water up to their level. They swam to the west side of the room, going through yet another locked door. After disposing of a pair of Keese, they entered a room with a waterfall and a series of platforms, jumping down to the the bottom platform, hookshotting their way up to a ledge leading to another locked door to go through.

Inside the room was a series of dragon heads and a diamond switch. After disposing of some more blue Tektites, the two hookshotted their way across the room, hitting the diamond switch to raise and lower dragon heads along the way. They made their way to an alcove, fighting off another pair of blue Tetktites. Seeing a Like-Like on the other side, Jenna tossed a bomb into its mouth, destroying it. The pair hookshotted over the spikes blocking the path, going through the door on the other side.

It was empty. They walked uneasily to the door on the other side, thinking it might be a trap. However they found a huge chest which contained the Longshot.

"The Longshot has twice the range of the hookshot your boyfriend stole," Ruto explained.

"Ah! Kasuto is not my boyfriend or mate! Got it?!" Jenna snapped back.

"...Right. We should keep going."

Jenna calmed down, jumping into the nearby pit, Ruto following shortly after.

"Be careful. There are vortexes in the water," Ruto warned.

Jenna nodded, diving into the water with Ruto following behind. The duo swam downstream, dodging whirlpools until they climbed onto a platform. In front was a golden eye. Jenna, figuring it was a switch, shot it with an arrow, shutting the eye opening a grating from across the platform where a chest was sitting, . Using the Longshot, Jenna pulled them towards the chest and grabbed the small key inside. The grating closed and the two continued down the hall. Jumping off the cliff at the end back into the water. The two went through the path heading back to the main room.

Upon returning, Ruto brought the water down to its lowest level and the pair returned to the central tower, hookshotting from platform to platform. Ruto raised the water to the second level and they continued onwards. Exiting the tower, the two walked around the exterior of the tower, seeing another golden eye switch. Jenna fired an arrow at the switch, opening the grating in front of them as Ruto hookshotted them into the hall the grating concealed.

Going east, the two were stopped by a stone block.

"...Wait, isn't this the block from when entered?" Jenna asked.

"It would appear so," Ruto responded, eliciting a groan from Jenna.

"I hate this temple..." she grumbled as she proceeded to pull the block out. The block clicked in place. Leaving them at a dead end.

"...And why exactly did you do that?"

"...We've been in this temple for hours, going around in circles and my feet have been in the water for so long I can feel my toes start to web. Please do not test me, Ruto."

Ruto sighed and looked up, seeing a point they could latch onto. She took the Longshot and fired. "Then I guess we've got no where to go but up."

Jenna quickly latched onto the Zora Princess and the two reached the top, seeing the tower. The two shared a groan and continued onwards, returning to the block. Jenna pushed the block, moving it into the place and finally opening the path they had wanted. Finding a chest, Jenna opened it, excited at the possible treasure they had acquired... only to find another key.

"A key?! We went through that stupid thing for a KEY?! I hate this temple so much!" Jenna cried out, throwing the key across the room in a fit. She stormed off, leaving Ruto to collect the key. Jenna stopped at the deadend, banging her head against the wall. Ruto put an arm around the merchant's body and held her tight, hookshotting the two up to the ledge once more. unning down the hall, Ruto instructed Jenna to put on the Iron Boots as she dove straight into the water. Jenna followed as the two to the north end, going through a doorway and into the pit. At the end of the pit, the two swam for the surface, climbing onto a nearby ledge. Across the room was a locked door past a wall of spikes. They hookshotted across the room, going through the door.

After killing the blue Tektites in the room, the two swam to the other side, avoiding a rolling boulder along the way. "That was insultingly easy..." Jenna muttered, receiving no argument from Ruto. Entering the next room, Jenna took out a trio of Stingers waiting in the water, the two dove in, looking around the room and seeing a crack in the wall. Jenna tossed a bomb at it, blowing up.

As Jenna entered the hall, she saw yet another stone block. "Oh come ON!" she cried as she dragged the block as far as she could. Taking a chance, she blew up a wall on the other side, getting another opening. She spent the next few minutes pushing and pulling the block, finally dropping it on a switch that rose the water level.

Upon surfacing, they climbed their way up to the next door, finding a room with another gap. After killing the blue Tektites inside, Jenna stepped on the nearby switch, unlocking both doors and summoning three water pillars which they quickly jumped from to the door on the other side, going through as fast as possible.

They soon found themselves in the section where the boulders rolled in from, dropping down into a nearby pit. Once at the bottom, the two went to the right, traveling to the end of the tunnel and resurfacing. When they opened the unlocked door in front of them, they found a large key. Jenna nearly exploded until Ruto informed her that the key would lead them to the Medallion. They continued onwards to the main hallway, heading to the top level of the room. Ruto raised the water to the highest point. Both of them were drained physically and mentally by this point. But they kept going. The land of Hyrule needed them to keep going and get the Water Medallion.

At the north side of the tower, they found a dragon's head statue, hookshotting to it and going through the door behind it. After passing through one final trap with spinning blades, they made it to the room. Inside, the pair saw someone opening the chest and claiming the Water Medallion. The figure, dressed in a green tunic, head the door open, turning to them.

"Is that...?" Jenna started to ask.

"It can't be..." Ruto answered.

The figure before them looked to be the Hero of Time, Link. However, he slowly started to sink into the ground, turning to shadow. Jenna quickly pulled out her bow, firing an arrow into "Link's" hand, sending the medallion out of it.

"Ruto! The medallion!"

Ruto nodded, running for the medallion, dodging the imposter Link. Jenna ran at him with bow, only to have her blade blocked. Link's body changed to a pitch black, eyes turned completely red. Jenna fought to her best, but Shadow Link was able to block everything thrown at him. However, Shadow Link found himself frozen in ice.

"Jenna! Use the Fire Medallion!"

Jenna pulled out the Fire Medallion, attaching it to her bow and pulling back an arrow. The arrow's fire heated up and the Forest Medallion attached itself to the bow, creating a small tornado of fire around the arrow. As Shadow Link broke himself free of the ice, Jenna fired the arrow, hitting him straight in the chest. Shadow Link let out a scream of pain as he faded from existence.

"He's... gone..." Jenna uttered before blacking out from exhaustion. When she awoke, she found herself in a bed. "Unh... where am I?"

"Kakariko Inn," Kasuto answered. "You passed out in the Water Temple. Ruto brought you out and I took you to the inn. Our horses are in a stable right now."

"And the Water Medallion? Is it safe?"

Kasuto nodded, showing her the blue disc. "Ruto says that if we attach it to our weapons, we can freeze our enemies or any body of water."

"I'm so tired... my feet are still pruning... I hope I never have to go in the water for a long time..."

"Well, you're in luck. Our next trip is to gain the Spirit Medallion, so we're headed to the Gerudo Desert."

"Oh... good luck to you then. I know of the Gerudos and their opinions on men."

"Eh, I'm sure they'll appreciate the skills of the Thief King Kasuto!"

Jenna stifled her laughter, turning over to go back to sleep.


	7. The Spirit Medallion

After a long journey from Kakariko Village; it took a week to ride across Hyrule Field. Jenna and Kasuto made the way to Gerudo Valley, wearing Goron armor to protect themselves from the sun's heat. As they traveled the desert, mostly this part was just dusty rock terrain, they were stopped by a young Gerudo clad in orange and green, holding a cutlass in each hand. Her light green eyes scanned the two as her red ponytail was blown around by the desert winds.

"Who are you two and what are you doing here?" she asked, gripping her cutlasses. And they could tell, just by looking at her, that she knew how to use them.

"Ah... my name is Jenna and this is-" Jenna started before Kasuto jumped off Epona, making his usual grandiose introduction.

"I am the Thief King Kasuto!"

The Gerudo stared blankly at the human in front of her. "...You? The Thief King?"

Kasuto nodded with his trademark enthusiasm. The Gerudo stood there, attempting to retain a blank expression, but her smile quickly broke through and she burst out laughing, holding her sides. Eventually, she regained her composure "Hah... hah... you are no Thief King, boy..."

"Look, miss. We need to enter Spirit Temple. We are collecting medallions, and-" Jenna began before noticing a lightness in her bags.

"You mean these Medallions, correct?" The Gerudo said with a smile, holding the three discs in her hand before running off.

"Ah! Get back here!" Kasuto shouted, sprinting off without Jenna. Jenna, backed by two horses, followed the two with some difficulty. The two ran the length of the entire valley, finally making it to the fortress entrance when Kasuto tackled the Gerudo. The guards immediately pulled weapons on Kasuto, though the one he had given chase was equally ready, placing her cutlasses against his neck.

"Yield..." she said, believing to be triumphant. Kasuto chuckled, holding the medallions in his hand once more.

"An impressive feat for a simple human..." came a voice from behind the two. Nabooru stood before Kasuto and his opponent, who tossed the human boy aside, taking the medallions from him.

"Lady Nabooru, this human and his mate," the Gerudo began, ignoring Jenna's cry of the opposite. "Were carrying three of the medallions and had intentions of entering the Spirit Temple, possibly to steal another and bring it to Ariakas."

Nabooru chuckled. "Din, while your loyalty to our people is admirable, these two are not thieves nor are they working for Ariakas. I have spoken with the other sages and they informed me of the duo's arrival. They are collecting the medallions to battle Ariakas, not aid him."

"Ah... my apologies, Lady Nabooru."

"I am not the one you need to apologize to."

The Gerudo, now known to them as Din, turned and handed the medallions to Kasuto, helping him up. "I apologize for assuming you two were enemies."

"You're forgiven... Din..." Jenna answered, a bit surprised at the name, given that is the name of the Goddess of Power.

"Now then, I spoke to the sages and they told you two are traveling to gather the remaining medallions to battle Ariakas. Thus, it would appropriate to grant you access to the Spirit Temple. However, you will need a guide. Din, you will guide Kasuto through the Spirit Temple."

"Yes, Lady Nabooru..." Din answered with a bow. Kasuto merely smiled.

"I need no guide through this temple! I am the Thief King Kasuto! Able to run at the speed of a hundred Ge-" he bragged before Jenna put her hand around his mouth.

"Thief King? Heh... quite the amusing one, aren't you? While you are talented, there is only one King of Thieves. Perhaps is you were... promised to Din."

"Lady Nabooru!" Din cried, turning red at the thought. Jenna silently growled, going unheard by the confused Kasuto. Soon, Jenna released Kasuto's big mouth and he set off with Din to the Spirit Temple, leaving the horses and Jenna behind.

After a quick journey, thanks to a longshot and Din's guidance, the two entered the Temple, heading towards the right. A giant stone block was in their path. Kasuto readied the Goron Bracelet, only to be stopped by Din. "That bracelet cannot move these blocks," she explained sliding on a pair of gauntlets. "These will, however."

Din moved the block with ease, thanks to the power of the Silver Gauntlets. "Wow! Where did you get those?"

"A true thief doesn't reveal these things. Why would I want others knowing of where they can claim my hard-earned treasures?"

"...Good point."

The block moved in place and they continued onward, climbing the stairs and firing at a diamond switch on the ceiling. Two doors opened, with the pair going through the door on the left, as per Din's suggestion. Inside, they fought a Wolfos, making quick work of the best before hookshotting to a chest containing a compass. After leaving the room, they headed to the right where the room was full of rolling boulders and Silver Rupees. After collecting the rupees, the door at the other end of the room opened, allowing them to go through.

After killing the Like-Like inside, Kasuto grabbed the small key from the chest inside the room and the two returned to the entrance hall, unlocking the door in the center. They made their way past another Like-Like, climbing a tiled wall into the next room.

After killing a Floormaster and it's offspring, they took a look around the room, seeing a mirror shining a light from the window and sun-shaped panels on the walls. Din quickly started turning the mirror until the light shone on the third panel, unlocking a nearby door.

"Seems like you really know your way around," Kasuto commented.

"I've lived her for a few years. So I've memorized the layout and traps."

Entering the room, they saw a statue of the Goddess of the Sand with a small chest in her right hand. Kasuto jumped onto the left hand before longshotting himself onto the right hand, opening the chest to find another small key. As he worked, Din made her way to the west side of the chamber, signaling to Kasuto. He jumped down, joining where she pointed to a target on the ceiling, which Kasuto fired the Longshot, the two riding up to the platform and climbing up two sets of stairs, both going separate ways. Din took the Longshot and traveled to a section of the chamber where a rusty switch sat, intending to create a shortcut for them. Kasuto continued onward through a locked door in southeast corner of the room.

Quickly passing by a hall where a Beamos attempted to fire at him, Kasuto found himself in a room with a Beamos and three floating, mummified, jackal-like creatures. Din returned to Kasuto's side, their shortcut prepared.

"The Anubis is weak against fire," she explained. Kasuto nodded, pulling out the Fire Medallion and using its power to summon fireballs to destroy the Beamos and Anubii. They made it through the door into the next room. Inside the room was a switch protecting by four Armos statues. Din quickly grabbed the medallion, standing by the locked door and firing at an Armos, leading it to chase her and land on the switch, locking in place. The door unlocked and they went through it, climbing the following stairwell and entering a room where Ariakas sat upon a brick throne.

"Ah, Din... how nice to see you... your grandmothers are currently resting, but they'll see you soon."

Din growled, unsheathing her cutlasses, which were surrounded by this dark power, and charging forth at the Shadow Lord. However, he merely chuckled, dodging the enraged Gerudo and striking her in the back of the neck, rendering her unconscious. The cutlasses returning to normal and landing on either side of her.

"Din!" Kasuto called out, rushing to her aid, only to be stopped as a massive suit of armor rose from the floor, swatting him aside.

"Foolish human. You may have made it so far, but you won't survive this temple. Have fun with Iron Knuckle..." Ariakas said with a smirk, sinking away with Din. Kasuto stood up, drawing the Silver Sword, dodging Iron Knuckle's attacks and slicing parts away. The armor continued its fight, Kasuto using anything he could, including the medallions before finally defeating Iron Knuckle. He then headed to the next room, standing outside on the right arm of the Desert Colossus. Kasuto opened a nearby chest, finding a shield, one that was different from others. The front of the shield looked to be a mirror. He put the shield onto his back and headed out.

As he traveled, he stopped in the room with the four Armos Knights, passing them to find a sun panel and a beam of light shining through. Thinking quickly, he pulled out the shield, using the mirror to reflect the light onto the sun panel, unlocking a nearby door. Inside that room was a chest containing another small key. Kasuto pocketed the key and continued through the temple, unlocking a door in the room where faced the Anubis.

Inside, there were two Beamos, which he destroyed before seeing a wall, parts of it sliding. Kasuto, however, simply longshotted his way to the top of the wall and climbed onward. Upon climbing up, Kasuto destroyed another waiting pair of Beamos and continued his journey.

Inside the next room was a quartet of Fire Slugs, which he froze and destroyed. Looking around the room, Kasuto saw a series of false doors. He destroyed them with the Fire Medallion, finding an eye switch and activating it, revealing a longshot target. He fired his way up, climbing onto the platform and jumping onto the adjacent platform, landing on a nearby switch. The switch extinguished the fire below him, uncovering a chest. He quickly jumped down, opening the chest and finding a large key and leaving the room, heading to the right and entering the next room.

Once inside, Kasuto immediately dove for the the diamond switch, which had been barred away. The next door opened and went through, fighting the Lizalfos in that room along with a few Bubbles. Once they were dealt with, Kasuto bombed a nearby wall, Kasuto saw inside a mirror, matching the one next to him. Having seen Din operate the mirror, he figured there was some importance to the placement of the mirrors and began adjusting the mirror he beside him so its light reflected off the next mirror as well. A part of him wondered about Din, about who she was and her connection to some of the things going on here. And if she was alright.

However, as he entered to adjust the next mirror, another Lizalfos attacked, only to be taken down. Kasuto moved the mirror in that room so it the light reflected through the bars and headed back to the entrance, jumping down the platform into a pit where besieged by animate pottery. After shielding himself from the killer ceramics, he saw a sun panel. Reflecting a nearby light onto the panel with his shield, he felt the platform his stood on begin to sink downward.

Once the platform stopped, Kasuto saw the face of the Colossus. Feeling lucky, he used the shield to reflect light onto the face of the statue, causing it to disintegrate and revealing a grating. He quickly longshotted himself to the grating, landing onto a ledge as the grating opened, showing another locked door. Using the large key he opened the door and saw Ariakas once more. An Iron Knuckle was obediently sitting behind Ariakas.

"Hm... persistent, aren't we? Tell me, are you after the Spirit Medallion, or the girl?" he asked, taunting Kasuto, who simply gripped the Silver Sword in response. "Because if it is the traitor you want, then perhaps you won't need these..."

In an instant, two shadowy hands appeared and grabbed the Fire and Water Medallions, bringing them to Ariakas.

"As much as I would like to destroy them... they have their use to me. You, on the other hand, are still nothing more than a pest. And this time, Iron Knuckle will not fail in crushing you..."

Ariakas sunk away with the medallions as Iron Knuckle rose from the throne, it was about to attack him when it noticed it was missing it's weapons. Snapping it's fingers, a pair of axes appeared, one in each of it's hands. Then it charged straight at Kasuto with the twin axes.

Kasuto, now down to one medallion, fought as hard as he could. This Iron Knuckle moved differently, rather than blindly attack, it was capable of dodging Kasuto's strikes and responding with strikes of its own. It became a tough battle for them both, but Kasuto got a decisive strike, knocking the head off Iron Knuckle, revealing a head of long red hair.

"...Din?"

Din lifted her head, her green eyes turned black with dark purple irises. She growled, charging at Kasuto like a vicious animal. Kasuto continued to fight, stripping away the Iron Knuckle armor piece by piece until the whites in Din's eyes returned. Whatever influence or control Ariakas exercised over Din's mind had vanished and she returned to normal, holding her head in pain.

"Unh... my head... Kasuto? What happened?"

"Ariakas knocked you and took you. He had you try to kill me...he brainwashed you."

"Ah... he turned me into his puppet. Stuck me in the Iron Knuckle armor... did anything else happen?"

"He took the Fire and Water Medallions."

"...Then behind those doors... we'll need to work together on this..." she explained, noticing the shield on Kasuto's back. "Ah, you have the Mirror Shield. Good, we may have a fighting chance against them."

"Them?" Kasuto asked, following Din as she got up and went through the door. Through the hall was a room with a series of tall ledges. Din climbed up to the top of the center ledge, with Kasuto following suit. There, they spotted Ariakas as he tended to two small shriveled bodies, placing a medallion on each of their heads. The eyes of the two elderly women opened as they sprouted hair of fire and ice. The two let out a cackle and summoned their brooms, floating above him.

"Hee heee hee! Thank you, Ariakas! You have done a great job in reviving us!" the fire-haired crone said, with her ice-haired sister nodding in agreement

"And it seems you brought Din to us as well! Don't worry, we shall make an example of her for betraying her family! Oh ho ho ho!"

"Family?" Kasuto asked, confused as to what anyone was talking about. Ariakas simply smirked as he slipped away into the shadows. While Din was glaring at the two witches before them.

"Don't worry about it, boy. You won't live to know the truth anyway..."

The two witches began to circle Din and Kasuto. Din gave the alleged "King of Thieves" a simple instruction: When one of them fires, us the Mirror Shield to reflect it at the other. He nodded and did so as Din used herself as a moving target, jumping from ledge to ledge as the sisters attempted to destroy her. However, the strategy soon changed.

"Okay, let's get serious now, Kotake!" the ice-haired woman shouted as the two entered the center of the room, spinning.

"Okay, Koume!" the fire-haired sister responded. Soon enough the two merged into a single, much more youthful, entity. That same entity winked at Kasuto, who was a bit surprised at that.

Din growled, uttering a name. "Twinrova..."

"Twin-what?" Kasuto asked, nearly being hit with a blast of ice magic. He blocked with the Mirror Shield, absorbing the magic.

"Kasuto! Keep absorbing the ice magic and then fire it back at them!" Din ordered. He nodded and did as ordered once more. She fired off another blast of ice magic and Kasuto absorbed it with the Mirror Shield. This time he noticed the shield blinking a flash of white very quickly and guessed that one more was needed. So when Twinrova fired off another blast of her ice magic, he absorbed it and it released that beam of ice magic. He made sure to hit the fire side of Twinrova, which that caused her pain and the temporary loss of her magic. This caused Twinrova fall and Din sliced away with her cutlasses. This was the pattern they had to use to defeat Twinrova. Although there were times where they would mess up, or Kasuto would accidentally absorb the wrong magic, negating the whole thing and thus put them back at square one.

After a long fight, Din separated Twinrova, decapitating the sisters upon their return to their singular forms. The medallions fell from their heads and a portal opened. "That is the doorway to the Chamber of Sages, which can only be accessible through teleportation. For that chamber is in the Temple of Light. It is also where Lady Nabooru kept the Spirit Medallion as well. This was so she could communicate with the other Sages in confidence. I shall gather your mate and you will be able to collect the Spirit Medallion," Din explained, turning to walk away.

"Wait! What were they talking about you betraying the family?"

Din halted in her tracks, sighing. She turned to face Kasuto. "My father... is Ganondorf... and those two were the ones who raised him and me... but I hate him. There still days I wish my father was really some merchant from Hyrule and not him..."

"I see..." Kasuto looked upon the Gerudo, as things made much more sense now. He knew that if they had found out about her relation to the Dark King, they wouldn't have trusted her. However, Nabooru did trust her, and he himself had worked together with her, proving that she was on their side. A powerful alley and that gave him an idea. "Then why don't you come with us? To fight him!"

Din thought about it for a bit but, to his surprise, she shook her head no. "As much as I want to... I cannot kill him. He is still my father and he raised me well when he was there... if you can, Kasuto. Please do me a favor and kill him..."

"I will."

Din smiled. "You may not be King of Thieves, but one day you may be... Oh, and before I forget. Your friend Dalamar sends word. He says that Death Mountain has fallen to the darkness, but he and the others are still fighting."

Kasuto smiled, glad to hear that his friend was still alive. Although he had to wonder how did she know about his friendship with Dalamar and how to contact with him. Din left then, returning sometime later with Jenna.

"When you two gather the Spirit Medallion, you will need to jump onto the platform that will transport you to the Temple of Time. It is your only way to go through the barrier surrounding Hyrule."

The two nodded and stepped onto the portal, a crystal surrounded the pair and rose into the sky. Taking them to the Chamber of Sages while the Gerudo watched it.

"May the Goddesses protect you both..."


	8. Path to Darkness

Jenna and Kasuto stepped onto the platform once the crystal shattered before them, signaling their arrival in the Chamber of Sages. It was a place that seemed unreal. Water pouring out of places that were unseen to them and they were standing on a Triforce shaped platform. There were six other platforms surrounding them, each looking exactly like the medallions they had been collecting, but they were facing the yellow one.

Spotting a chest in the corner of the platform, Kasuto ran and opened it up, finding the Spirit Medallion inside. "There, that's four... Now we just need... the Light and the Shadow Medallions..." Jenna noted, realizing that Ariakas still had the Shadow Medallion and they had no idea who held the Light Medallion.

From behind them another crystal emerged, shattering to reveal the old messenger.

"Ah! The messenger! What are you doing here? You should be resting!" Jenna cried out in surprise. The old man chuckled, his body glowing briefly before fading into a man in ornate robes stood before them, the symbol of the Triforce in the center of his robes. The two stood in awe before them.

"Rest easy, Jenna. Malon did a fine job nursing me to health... but now on to more important matters. You see, I am not just some old messenger. I am Rauru, the Sage of Light. And I am here to deliver something important to you."

"The Light Medallion?" Kasuto asked.

"Well... part of it," Rauru answered, holding one half of the medallion in his hand. "When Ganondorf revived, I had tried to stop him... but even weakened by his sealing, he was still strong enough to defeat me and shatter the medallion into two halves. One is still in the possession of Ariakas... and I am entrusting you with the other."

Jenna nodded, taking the medallion piece. "So we reclaim the second piece of the Light Medallion, defeat Ariakas to get back the Shadow Medallion and then the Sages will seal Ganondorf once more..."

"There is just one more thing you must do."

"And that is?"

"Rescue the Leader of the Sages... Princess Zelda. Nabooru had attempted to contact her using the Spirit Medallion... but all she got was warnings from Ariakas... that Hyrule will be engulfed in darkness..."

"We have to rescue Zelda?"

"Well, not just Zelda, but all of Hyrule is depending on you. But I have faith in you two. You have already gotten this far."

Jenna nodded as another crystal surrounded them.

"You will be sent to the Temple of Time, where Link first obtained the Master Sword. It is the only way to enter Hyrule while the barrier of darkness stands."

The two nodded as the crystal ascended, bringing them to the Temple of Time. Upon exiting, they were attacked by the Hylians living in Hyrule, who had fallen under Ariakas' control. Neither one wanted to harm innocents, so they couldn't bring themselves to raise arms against the mob.

"Kasuto! We need to get away from them!"

"Right! Climb on my back!" Kasuto ordered, Jenna quickly climbing on as Kasuto used the Forest Medallion, running at the speed of the wind to Ganondorf's castle. As they approached, Kasuto slapped on the Goron Bracelet, pulling his arm back and tightening his fist. He launched his fist right into the door, smashing it open with the combination of the wind's speed and the strength of many Gorons.

"Ha ha! Fair Jenna, does the Thief King Kasuto not know how to make a grand entrance?!" Kasuto bragged as Jenna stepped off, rolling her eyes.

"You certainly do. But perhaps we should take a more subtle approach to entering the realm of Ganondorf-" before Jenna could finish, Kasuto was already rushing into the first room, going through a door marked with the symbol of the Fire Medallion. Entering the room they found a pool of lava bubbling in the center of the room. And soon came the rumbling from something rising from the surface.

"Kasuto, you were in the Fire Temple... what's happening?"

"Volvagia..."

With that simple word, the three-headed dragon rose from the lava, letting out a roar. The dragon attempted to roast them with fire, only for the two block with their shields. The center head readied a larger stream of fire when a portal opened from behind and a large orange ball absorbed the stream, crashing into the center head before landing on the ground. Volvagia's three heads fell onto the floor. The orange ball uncurled itself to reveal Dalamar.

"Ha! Don't seem so tough now, huh Volvagia!"

"Dalamar!" Kasuto cried out in joy, the two friends slammed chests upon seeing each other, Kasuto falling a bit from the slam. "What are you doing here?"

"Darunia sent me to help you guys in fighting Ganondorf!" the Goron explained as Volvagia began to stir awake. "And not a minute too soon! I'll need a weapon!"

Kasuto nodded, tossing him the Megaton Hammer. Immediately all three had focused a weapon on the beast; Jenna firing an arrow point blank into the skull of the right head while Kasuto decapitated the left, leaving Dalamar to bring the hammer down on the center head. However, only the helmet of the beast was shattered, leaving the center head standing. But as with Darunia, Kasuto was launched into the air by Dalamar to cleave Volvagia's final head, dismounting off the wall and freezing the lava with the Water Medallion for a safe landing.

"It would appear Ganondorf and Ariakas are doing all they can to keep us from gaining the medallion and Princess Zelda," Jenna observed as the next door, marked with the symbol of the Spirit Medallion, opened.

"Thanks for the help, Dalamar. Here, if you're gonna be joining us, you may need this."

Kasuto handed his Goron friend the Fire Medallion. "Thank you, brother! Now things are really starting to heat up," Dalamar said with a chuckle as they climbed up the stairs into the next room.

Inside the room was Iron Knuckle. Dalamar immediately stepped up, charging the possessed armor and getting into a fight of strength with it. The fight went on for some time and in spite of the Fire Medallion's power assisting him, the Iron Knuckle started to overpower Dalamar; which is no easy feat to overpower a Goron. As he was about to fail, a pair of sandal-clad feet struck Iron Knuckle in the head, knocking him over before dismounting in front of Jenna and Kasuto.

"Din!" Jenna cried in relief, glad to see another was helping them in their battle. Din smiled, holding the Forest Medallion in her hand. Seems like she was able to take it from them again without their knowledge.

"Allow me..." she said as she rushed Iron Knuckle with both cutlasses as the armor began to rise, slicing him to individual parts.

"Did Lady Nabooru send you?" Jenna asked, to which Din nodded.

"I thought you couldn't come," Kasuto spoke to her. "You said that you could not end your father."

"While I cannot kill my father," Din confirms that being the truth. "Ariakas made a wrong move when he brought up my connections with him. I was careless the last time I encountered him. But this time, I promise that the traitor will die."

"Understood, Lady Din. I trust you holding the Forest Medallion and I'm sure Kasuto feels the same."

Kasuto nodded in agreement as the next door, this one with the symbol of the Light Medallion. Inside the quartet found Zelda, standing with her back turned to them. The ruler of Hyrule, the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom and the Leader of the Sages. A beauty like no other, but it was strange to see her there without a guard.

"Princess Zelda, we have come to rescue you... from..." Jenna started, only to see as Zelda turned around, her eyes were black with purple irises and a dark aura surrounding her.

Zelda then went on the attack, drawing a sword that Jenna blocked with the blade of her bow. The Princess was quick and nimble, showing some skills that one of the certain race would use. As there were times when Jenna would have to dodge from the quick attacks. Even the others had to keep on their toes so they would not get hit from her. No one wanted to hurt her as they all knew she was not doing this out of her own free will. But it was Jenna's fight, they all seemed to know that much.

Jenna kept on the defensive, trying to think of someway to free the Princess from the mind control, although that seemed to be more difficult. Then she noticed something, odd, the sword didn't look right. As if there was more to it. So she went in, dodging the attack Zelda did and managed to wrest the sword from Zelda's hand. She then added, for good measure, to strike a blow on the hilt of the sword, which that drove the dark aura from the princess. She fell to the ground, a bit dazed, and thankfully, not harmed.

"Ah... what happened... Lady Din?" Zelda asked, looking at her surroundings and slowly piecing things together.

"Ariakas had taken over your mind, your highness. He had done the same to me. Now we are fighting to reach Ganondorf and obtain the last two medallions," Din explained, helping Zelda to her feet.

"I see... then it is only fitting that I give a reward to the only who freed me from Ariakas' control," Zelda answered, turning to Jenna, handing her the quiver with the magical arrows. "These are the Light Arrows. They are the only weapon that can harm Ganondorf and his servant. Use them well."

Princess Zelda then remembered someone important, her nursemaid and fellow Sage, "where's Impa?"

"We have not seen Impa," Din answered. Unsure if the Sage of Shadow had even survived all of this. "Hopefully we will."

The merchant-turned-warrior nodding and putting the quiver around her back as the quintet heard clapping from behind them, seeing Ariakas.

"Well done, you've made it so far into the castle, and even saved the Princess. But there is no chance of you defeating the Shadow Lord..." he said as he summoned shadowy hands to attack them.

Din was quick to dodge them, running towards Ariakas only to have him vanish into thin air when the blade of her cutlass touched his body. Kasuto and Dalamar's effort were equally fruitless despite having the Silver Sword and Megaton Hammer at their disposal. As they fought the shadow clones, Jenna spotted the real Ariakas sinking up from the ground behind Zelda, armed with a dagger.

Jenna said no words as she grabbed a Light Arrow, pulled back and fired, striking Ariakas in the back and causing him to cry out in pain. The others heard the cry and attacked the true Ariakas. Kasuto and Dalamar used the Water and Fire Medallions to blast the Shadow Lord with a combination of fire and ice, weakening him further. Ariakas began to sink into the shadows once more, severely wounded from the fight and needing to recover. Din ran at him, using the wind from the Forest Medallion to give her some extra speed. As she was attempting to finish it, but as she passed him, she merely cut into shadow once more.

"He escaped again," Din said at first angry at failing to kill the Shadow Lord, it was the Gerudo's job to stop him and she failed that twice now. "However... I did manage to take something from him..."

The Gerudo's scowl turned into a smile as she held the missing half of the Light Medallion in her hand. A feat most thought was impossible because of the state he was in. However Jenna quickly took it, bringing the two pieces back together and creating a full medallion, as if it had not be broken in the first place.

"Well done. You've gained all but one medallion," Zelda started with a smile. "However, I will need to take the Spirit Medallion with me as I return to the Chamber of Sages, so that Ganondorf does not gain the power of every medallion. When Ganondorf is at his weakest, we will seal him once more. May the Goddesses protect you four as what follows may be the darkest hour of Hyrule."

The group nodded as Kasuto handed Zelda the Spirit Medallion, a crystal basking her away from Ganondorf's castle. The group continued onward through the next door, marked with the symbol of the Forest Medallion. Jenna knew what was coming next and was awaiting it rather than the dread she had previously felt facing it.

Inside the room was a series of paintings, Phantom Ganon riding in on horseback. Jenna waited and fired a Light Arrow at the approaching creature, killing it instantly. "Ganondorf created Phantom Ganon in order to kill me while in the Forest Temple," Jenna explained. "But because of its connection to Ganondorf, it is equally weak to the Light Arrow. And if the next room is what I believe it to be, it shall be just as easy to fight as this was."

The quartet continued onward through the next door. As Jenna predicted, this one was marked with the symbol of the Water Medallion. And inside was Dark Link, who charged straight at Jenna, receiving a Light Arrow between the eyes for his troubles. "This is it... behind those doors is Ganondorf... Is everything ready?"

"I'm always ready for a fight!" Dalamar answered, holding the Fire Medallion in his hands.

"...I can only go this far," Din said with a sigh as she handed the Forest Medallion back to Kasuto. "But I expect that Kasuto will keep his promise to kill him for me."

"I will, Din. I'm ready whenever you are, Jenna."

Jenna smiled and nodded as the crystal summoned Din and returned her to the Gerudo Fortress. Dalamar forced the massive doors to Ganondorf's throne room open. Ganondorf looked at the trio in front of him with a scowl. "Ariakas may have failed to stop you. But no matter... the world is engulfed in darkness and in that darkness... I can reshape Hyrule to my likeness... so do as you wish for you cannot hope to defeat me..."

The Great King of Evil stood, driving his fist into the ground and summoning giant spikes of dark energy to attack the three. Dalamar rolled up in a ball, to protect himself from the attack while the other two chose to dodge it. It was better that way, since Dalamar could withstand it better then they could but he was not as quick as them. Jenna then tossed Kasuto the Light Medallion and Kasuto quickly got to work, running at him with a speed boost from the Forest Medallion and striking him with light-aided slices from the Silver Sword. The pulled Ganondorf's focus from Jenna as she prepped the Light Arrow, firing it into his chest when he was at his most vulnerable. This seemed to be the pattern they needed and followed it a couple of times. Although, it was painful at times.

Ganondorf fell to the floor, coughing up green blood as he gasped for breath. However, he let out a low raspy laugh.

"You... fools... have not bested me yet... Ariakas!"

The weakened Ariakas came in from the floor, looking to his fallen master who told him three simple words.

"It is time..."

Ariakas nodded as Ganondorf unsheathed his sword, stabbing the traitorous Sheikah straight through the chest. The three watched in shock. However, Ariakas simply laughed, his master joining in as their bodies glowed a dark purple and merged into a single form. The energy exploded, and Ganondorf stepped forward, his armor now larger and covered in spikes that sparked dark energy all throughout. He was draped in Ariakas' sand-faded cloak and in the center of this armor was the Shadow Medallion. And on the back of his hand, the Triforce of Power was glowing brightly, as if to give him more power then before.

"You may have beaten the King of the Gerudo Thieves... but can you stand before the might... of Shadow Lord Ganondorf?!" he called out as his sword, now three times its size, struck the ground. The castle started to shake, crumbling apart. Dalamar was the first to go, falling through a hole created by the castle's destruction. That sword also falling down with the Goron.

Kasuto moved carefully, doing his best to strike the new Shadow Lord without damaging the Medallion in the center. However, Ganondorf swatted him away, advancing towards Jenna. Jenna backed away, her confidence after her victories against Phantom Ganon and Dark Link fading.

"Jenna! Catch!" Kasuto cried out, tossing her the Forest and Light Medallions before being stabbed with a shadow spike. Jenna quickly caught the medallions, but winced as the alleged Thief King was wounded, still feeling unsure of herself. Ganondorf summoned a two handed sword, that he could easily wield with one hand, from the darkness to deal the final blow. Jenna shut her eyes, fearing the worse.

Only to hear a clang. Jenna opened her eyes, seeing a man in a green tunic holding back Shadow Ganondorf's blade with the Silver Sword that Kasuto had. In fact she didn't see Kasuto on the ground over to where he was swatted to. "What in-"

"Jenna," Zelda said, appearing in an ethereal form behind Jenna.

"Ah! Your Highness... who... what..."

"That is the Spirit of the Triforce of Courage. I summoned him using the Spirit Medallion so he could help Kasuto fight back. He has taken the form of the Hero of Time, Link. The power of that piece of the Triforce will stun him, as well as prevent him from using his piece any longer. You have one chance to fell Shadow Lord Ganondorf. Be strong, Jenna. The fate of Hyrule depends on you..." she said before fading away.

Jenna nodded as Ganondorf fell back, the Spirit fading from Kasuto's body. Jenna prepped a Light Arrow, charging it with the power of the Light Medallion and launching it straight into the head of the Shadow Lord. Ganondorf cried out in pain as the light cracked his armor, shattering it. The Shadow Medallion fell, vanishing with the other medallions to return to the Chamber of Sages. Each Sage appeared on their respective platforms. Zelda, was on the Triforce shaped one for hers, while the Triforce of Wisdom glowed on the back of her hand, lending her more power. They combined their powers together, banishing Ganondorf back into the Sacred Realm.

Once Ganondorf's body was gone due to the sealing; the dungeon continued its collapse from the fight. Jenna did her best to catch her breath, seeing Kasuto's unconscious body sink into a hole forming around him. She quickly grabbed him and tried to pull him to stable ground, but she was weak from the previous battle and could only barely hold on as the floor she stood on broke away, sending the two falling, possibly to their deaths.


	9. The Era of Unchosen Heroes

Jenna held tightly to Kasuto, closing her eyes as the continued to fall. She though they were going to die here. However, she noticed that their descent came to a sudden stop. When she opened their eyes, she found that they were in Kakariko Village, a red-eyed woman standing in front of the two.

"My apologies if the landing was rough. Are you two alright?" the Sheikah woman asked.

Jenna nodded. "Yes, thank you, miss..."

"Impa. Sage of Shadows."

"Ah, once again. Thank you for rescuing us."

"We owe you as much for saving Hyrule..." Impa said as she pulled out a two bags, setting them down. "There will be further rewards, but consider this a sample of our gratitude for your actions."

Jenna opened one of the bags, her eyes widening. There were more Rupees in there than she had ever seen in all her years traveling as a merchant. But... she simply tied up the bag and handed them back to Impa.

"The offer is quite generous, Lady Impa. But Kasuto and I did not begin this journey for monetary gain. We did it simply because it was the right thing to do. To take a stand and to fight for the good of many..."

"...A noble cause, especially given the boy's claims of being a Thief King. Very well, but at the very least, he will need this."

Impa handed Jenna a bottle of Red Potion before turning to leave.

"Wait! What happened to Dalamar? Is he..." Jenna asked, fearing the worst.

"Dalamar was safely caught and has been returned to his home. Word is being sent throughout all of the races of your actions. Even without the reward, your names will be a part of out history..." Impa then vanished into the shadows.

Jenna turned to Kasuto, pouring the Red Potion in his mouth and helping him to swallow it. She then looked to his stab wound and watching it slowly fade from his body. She then poured the rest onto his face, waking him, as she didn't need the whole potion to heal him.

"Ahh! Jenna! Ganondorf is... huh?"

"We did it, Kasuto!" Jenna cried in joy, hugging her partner in heroics. She then realized how close they were and let go, turning red. "Ganondorf has been sealed away and the darkness is fading..."

"It is? That's great news! But... Epona..."

Jenna nodded, the two would need to collect their horses, fearing that the two didn't die in the heat of the Gerudo Desert. A portal opened and the trusted steeds raced out. The riders chased after the two, Jenna thanking Impa as she managed to catch up and climb on.

And true to Impa's word, people in various towns spoke of the merchant girl and Thief King. Of their bravery and strength in the face of overwhelming danger. Even passing through the Hyrule Market, the two found themselves swarmed by the people cheering their names. However, their goal was simple. To find a pair of old farmers. The two tracked down Malon and Ingo, escorting them back to the Lon Lon ranch where Malon waited on the porch, running to them once they were in sight. Jenna and Kasuto heard her call out "Thank you!" as they rode away.

"Well, that's done. Now we just need to return to Hyrule Castle to collect our rewards from the Sages and the Princess. The price for saving Hyrule could mean a happy retirement for this king!" Kasuto said with Rupees in his eyes.

"Ah... about that..." Jenna started, a bit nervous.

"What?"

"Well, Impa had told me that we were to be rewarded... I rejected it."

Epona came to a halt on Kasuto's command. "..You what?"

Jenna stopped her horse, meeting Kasuto eye to eye. "Kasuto, our names are going to be written in the history books alongside the likes of the Hero of Time. That is worth more than all of the Rupees in Hyrule."

Kasuto merely said nothing as he stepped off Epona, walking towards Jenna. "Kasuto? What are you- Unhand my boot at once! No! Kasuto, don't you daAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The End.


End file.
